Adapter for pliers



July 5, 1949. N. B. HANSEN ADAPTER FOR PLIERS' Filed Nov. 19, 1945 Inpentor N/EZS a. HANSEN Patented July 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ADAPTER FOR PLIERS Niels B. Hansen, Phoenix, Ariz.

Application November 19, 1945, Serial No. 629,611

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates, generally, to pliers, and

more particularly to improvements in adapters therefor.

The invention is designed with a primary ob ject in view of equipping apair of pliers, of the straight nose, slip joint, type, for quick andeasy use in detaching, or attaching, the brake shoe springs ofautomobile brakes.

Another object is to equip such pliers with a pair of adapters, for thepurpose above set forth, which are easy to attach and detach, will notbecome accidentally displaced, and are of simple form and comparativelyinexpensive to manufacture and replace.

Other and subordinate objects, also comprehended by invention, togetherwith the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understoodwhen the succeeding description and claim are read with reference to thedrawing accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating my improved adaptersapplied to the pliers,

Figure 2 is a view in front end elevation of the adapters detached anddrawn to an enlarged scale,

Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal section taken on the line 33 ofFigure 2,

Figure 4 is a view in front elevation of one of the caps,

Figure 5 is a view in rear elevation of the same,

Figure 6 is a view in front elevation of the other cap,

Figure 7 is a view in rear elevation of the same, and

Figure 8 is a view in elevation illustrating the manner in which theadapters and pliers are used.

Reference being had to the drawings by numerals, the type of pliers withwhich my invention is particularly concerned, comprises a pair ofhandle-bars I, 2 crossed and pivotally and slidably connected togetherby means of a slip connection comprising a stud 3 and notched slot 4.The handle-bars I, 2 terminate in straight jaw forming noses 5, 6 offlat form with straight, Working inner front edges 1, 8, and archedouter rear edges 9, Ill. The edges 1, 9 and 8, III impart a taper to thenoses 5, 6.

According to my invention, adapters are provided for such plierscomprising a pair of thimblelike caps II, I2 of substantially the samelength as the noses 5, 6. The caps I I, I2 are designed to fit over thenoses 5, 6, with a slight clearance at the rear edges 9, II] of saidnoses, for a purpose presently seen. To this end, said caps II, I2 areformed with straight parallel side walls I3, I4, straight front wallsI5, I6, and arched rear faces I7, I8 converging toward the walls I5, I6.The cap I I is provided at its outer end with a pair of laterally spacedprongs I 9 extending forwardly of the front wall I5 at'substantially aright angle thereto, said prongs being hook shaped'and tapering to sharppoints 20. At best shown in Figure 2, the prongs 20 are spaced apart agreater distance than the sides I3 of said cap II. The cap I2 isprovided at its outer end with a single forwardly projecting prong 2Itapering edgewise to a point 22. Longitudinally arched leaf springs 23,24 are provided in the caps II, I2 to extend along the rear walls II,I3. Screws 25, 26 attach the springs 23, 24 at one end thereof to thewalls I'I, I8 adjacent to the inner ends of the caps II, I2. A chain 21having its ends connected to said screws 25, 26 couples the caps II, I2together.

Referring to the use and operation of the described invention. The capsII, I2 are slipped over the noses 5, 6 of the pliers I and frictionallylocked thereto by the springs 23, 24. With the prongs 20 suitably hookedinto a brake shoe spring 28, to be stretched for connection to its stud29, and the prong 2| hooked over the lining 30, of a brake shoe 3|, thecaps II, I2 may be moved toward each other by manipulation of thehandlebars I, 2 to stretch said spring as desired.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufiice to impart a clearunderstanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modificationwithout departing from the inventive concept, and right is here reservedto such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

Means for converting a pair of pliers into a tool for tensioning a brakespring to remove it from or assemble it in operative position compris- 3ing a pair of thimbles adapted to be fitted over the jaws of the pliers,one of said thimbles having a pointed brake shoe lining engaging prongon its outer end, the other thimble having a pair of laterally spaced,pointed and hook-shaped spring-engaging and tensioning prongs on itsouter end faced toward each other, the prongs of the two thimbles beingextended to project toward each other when the thimbles are fitted onsaid jaws, a leaf spring arranged within and longitudinally of eachthimble at the back thereof to removably secure said thimble on theassociated jaw, headed fasteners securing the inner ends of the springsto the -thimb1es, and -.--a flexible element coupling said thimbles :andconnected at its ends to said headed fasteners.

NIELS B. HANSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file ofthis patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 641,019 Kiefer et al. Jan. 9,1900 677,529 Miller July 2, 1901 740,553 Grandchamp et al. Oct. 6, 19031,326,858 Glasscock Dec. 30, 1919 1,334,965 Ridings Mar. 30, 19201,413,362 Slattery Apr. 18, 1922 1,474,592 Jacoby Nov. 20, 19231,828,042 'I-Iarding t a1. *-oct. 20, 1931 15 1,931,715 Baldridge 'Oct.24, 1933 1,953,930 Dyal Apr. 10, 1934 2,266,511 Predmore Dec. 16, 1941'-2;356,400 Hanson Aug. 22, 1944

